Testudo Times

Profiles In Terpage - A Countdown to the Football Season: Joe Riddle

2012-05-16T17:33:54Z

A recurring series where we will profile every player on Maryland's roster, counting down to kick-off against William & Mary on September 1. Thanks to OBNUG for the idea.

Today we profile a local two-way star.

Joe Riddle, Freshman, Safety

Stats:

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 200

Major: Undecided but considering sports medicine and athletic training

Twitter: Have not found

Collegiate Stats: N/A

High School Stats (Senior Year): 111 carries for 917 yards and nine touchdowns with two catches for 46 yards and a touchdown

Recruiting Ratings: Two stars by Rivals, Scout (#148 Safety), 24/7 (#33 in Maryland, #98 Running Back), ESPN (#121 Running Back)

High School: Linganore

Hometown: Frederick, Md.

High School Highlights:

How'd He Get to College Park?

Riddle played running back throughout his career at Linganore, with some defensive play over his last two year and even a stint as a defensive end on the JV squad. In 2009, he was a part of the Lancers' state title team. After a junior year in which he ran for 968 yards and 14 touchdowns, Riddle started to get some attention in recruiting circles. He attended a camp at Maryland last june, and impressed the coaches enough that he was offered a scholarship. Then, the following exchange happened.

"So what do you think about that?" Edsall asked Riddle.

"Coach," Riddle replied, "this is where I’ve always wanted to play. So, I’m going to commit."

Riddle also listed offers from Cincinnati, Buffalo, Towson, James Madison, New Hampshire, Towson, and Virginia Military, but he's one of those kids who always wanted to go to the home-town school. Can't have enough of those.

Nickname:

"The Riddler"

Career Highlight:

Winning the state championship in 2009.

Career Lowlight:

N/A

Dream Season:

Riddle wins the kick returner job and does well enough to keep it.

Nightmare Season:

He doesn't?

2012 Prospectus:

A lot of recruiting agencies have been listing Riddle as a running back, but I see him as a safety at Maryland, just because of depth reasons. Maryland brought in two running backs last year in Justus Pickett and Brandon Ross and have two great ones coming in this year in Wes Brown and Albert Reid. Of the two safety positions, Riddle is better suited for free safety, where Eric Franklin is a senior and Undray Clark is currently the only player behind him (although fellow incoming freshman Anthony Nixon could be joining them there as well).

Ultimately, Riddle's best chance of playing this season (and probably throughout his career, at least on a consistent level) is at kick returner. He's extremely fast, but more importantly he has great acceleration, so he can get to his top level very quickly. Maryland had a ton of problems with their special teams unit last year - so much so that they switched coordinators and don't even have either of the return positions listed on the depth chart. Dexter McDougle, Jeremiah Johnson,Justus Pickett and even Stefon Diggs are probably the most likely options, but don't count Riddle out - he's got the skills for it.

Up Next:

Our next player went to a very small school in DC.

Introducing Maryland's Incoming 2012 Freshmen: Charles Mitchell

2012-05-16T13:00:40Z

Mark Turgeon's first class was a monster, a six-man behemoth that is arguably Maryland's most promising in the last decade. But if you don't follow recruiting, the six will-be-freshmen aren't much more than names. Over the next several days, we'll be overviewing the class, recruit by recruit, introducing the newest batch of Terrapins to their future fanbase. We've already looked at Bahamian big Shaq Cleare and lanky wing Jake Layman. Now our attention turns to the gregarious Georgian big man, Charles Mitchell.

Name: Charles Mitchell
Height: 6-7
Weight: 250
HS: Wheeler
From: Marietta, Ga.
AAU: Worldwide Renegades
Position: PF / C
Rankings: 247: | ESPN: , #23 C | Rivals: , #22 PF, #92 overall | Scout: , #27 C | BIAH Consensus: #113 overall
Recruiter: Bino Ranson
Committed: March 8, 2012
Twitter: @StuckLikeChuck1

Major Strengths: Mitchell is another stout and strong post player, a big body with a mentality to match. On the court, he has very nimble feet and is surprisingly quick and agile in small spaces. Of course, he'll able to push his defender around more often than not, just based on pure girth. He's also a reliable scorer on the blocks, something Maryland has needed; he's assertive with the ball in his hands and has good touch around the rim, an effective spin move, and no issues playing through contact. His jumper is improving and can be a tool in the midrange, which gives him a nice bit of added dimensionality; similarly, he's deceptively good handling the ball, so he has a bit of a face-up game. Given that he'll need to play some 4 here, that's a good sign. One of Mitchell's strongest areas is his intangibles: he's a gregarious guy who should be a great teammate, but he's also assertive on the court and has no qualms about battling on the blocks. Scouts and writers are impressed with his work ethic, motor, and competitiveness, coming across as a very coachable guy; that should instantly translate to this level and make him an instant energy player. And while his height is a limiting factor, he has a seven-foot wingspan, which helps compensate. (That's a longer wingspan than Mason Plumlee, if you believe it.) His physical tools - size and long arms - combined with his sense of positioning means he should be a productive rebounder.
Needs Improvement: Mitchell has some possibly-limiting physical issues, unfortunately. First of all, he needs to work on conditioning, which would help on a variety of levels. He does lose effectiveness as he tires (a problem, ironically, exacerbated by his motor), which hurts on defense and on the boards. He's also not explosive and plays below the rim more than you'd like right now, which is going to make it tougher to finish plays at the net. And of course there's his height: 6-7 isn't great size for the 4 in the ACC, let alone the 5, which might be his best and most natural position. How he holds up when faced against elite athletes every night will be critical. Some of that can be helped, but it'll be interesting to see how much. Elsewhere, he has a bit of James Padgett in him: he can get a tad one-dimensional and predictable in the post. Much like Cleare, he has enough physical limitations that he needs to have top-notch technique to reach his heights, so getting a more well-rounded arsenal of post moves should be a priority. He's a bit caught between positions at the moment, so it'd be great to see him either add skill or, if he's lucky, grow another inch.
Interesting: Between Mitchell, Shaq Cleare, and Damonte Dodd, Maryland has a solid 760 pounds or so of post players in this class (which shoots to 1,0005 if you include Evan Smotrycz). Some major weight is going to be thrown around in the Comcast Center during practices.
Comparison: The two that spring to mind, just based on physique, are likely Dejuan Blair and Charles Barkley: both were undersized but bulky big men who did just fine, though for slightly different reasons - Blair had his absurdly long arms, Barkley had that sneaky agility and athleticism, and both had great assertiveness and mind for the game. He's caught in-between the two; he's much smoother and perhaps better in the post than Blair, but is a good bit short of Barkley's pure athleticism. If he trims down, he could play a role similar to what Draymond Green did at Michigan State as a skilled, powerful forward, though I don't think he has the skill to truly replicate it.
Prediction: Yesterday's revelation that Ashton Pankey is transferring helps Mitchell more than anyone else, if I had to guess. He would've been fighting it out with Pankey for the fourth big man spot, with the loser probably getting not a ton in the way of minutes. Instead, he walks into that spot virtually uncontested. That means it's very possible for him to get double-digit minutes on a regular basis, working as an sparkplug and energy role player for 10 to 15 minutes a night. As he improves on his conditioning, he'll see his minutes and effectiveness grow. I'm still expecting him to be behind Shaquille Cleare, which will limit his minutes somewhat, given that the two probably can't play together too much given the redundancies of their games. But he could be a significant role player and potential sixth man for the first two years of his career, and by the time he's a junior who knows where his work ethic can take him? Due to the measurables he might not ever be a centerpiece, but he can be a starter in the ACC for sure.
In a Turtleshell: Mitchell is a wide body who's surprisingly light on his feet and has a good touch around the rim, with the potential to craft out a niche as a space-eater with skill. At the very least he'll be a great teammate, given his down-to-earth personality and motor. His physical tools might perhaps be limiting long-term, but he won't back down from anyone, will make his teammates better and give huge effort, and could easily turn himself into a starter and significant piece for Maryland over the course of his career.

Maryland Minute - 05.15.12 - It's Hopkins Week Part 2!

2012-05-16T11:19:37Z

After their win on Saturday, Maryland takes on Hopkins this coming Saturday in the locally loaded Annapolis region. Go check it out if you're around.

Mark Dixon: Where the Quarterfinal Matchups Will Be Won, Or Lost | InsideLacrosse.com
Inside Lacrosse previews this weekend's upcoming match-ups, including Maryland vs. Hopkins, part II.

Maryland lacrosse team does things the hard way - Washington Times
Patrick Stevens has a nice piece on the men's Lax team.

Cummings: Snider was Maryland's hero - baltimoresun.com
More on Saturday Lax win over Lehigh.

Is FSU Really The ACC's Most Valuable Team? - Tomahawk Nation
Tomahawk Nation looks at the values of ACC teams. My only comment is that for Maryland, you’re dealing with one of the worst years in football history and with transitioning from a future hall of fame coach, so I think the viewership numbers are going to be very much below average for 2011. Especially for basketball, I’d think that in a year or two, those numbers are going to be significantly higher, especially for basketball. I’d guess Maryland is closer to the upper third, on average, rather than where they ended up in this analysis.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups have been released; let's examine! - CBSSports.com
Here are all of the ACC/Big Ten challenge matchups, in case you didn't see them beyond Maryland's pairing with Northwestern.

Mychal Parker talks about transferring to Loyola from Maryland - baltimoresun.com
Mychal Parker discusses his transfer from Maryland to Loyola. Hopefully he helps Jimmy Patsos continue Loyola's recent success.

PressBox: Cassell's Commitment To Terps Could Have Immediate Impact
Dave Lomonico of Press Box sits down with Sam Cassell Jr. Good read.

Another Departure: Ashton Pankey Transferring from Maryland

2012-05-15T18:34:29Z

After Maryland's season, no one was quite certain if Terrell Stoglin, Mychal Parker, or Ashton Pankey would be returning next year. A month or so ago, everything looked peachy. Now Stoglin's gone (and suspended), Parker's at Loyola, and Pankey, well:

Freshman PF Ashton Pankey leaving Maryland & will likely transfer somewhere closer to home in NY, multiple sources say.maryland.247sports.com/Board/67/Panke…
— Jeff Ermann (@insidemdsports) May 15, 2012

Gonna miss maryland &terpnation...always have a place in my heart & I appreciated the last 2 years..#familyfirst
— Ashton Pankey (@AshtonP_30) May 15, 2012

Pankey always seemed the most likely of the aforementioned trio to head out, and I'm a little surprised he was actually the last to do so. His first year had some bright spots, but he also drew the ire of Mark Turgeon and was benched more than once. Throw in multiple new big men to compete with, and things didn't look too bright for his long-term prospects in College Park.

This is hardly a killer transfer, and in the long run it could actually benefit Maryland, depending on what happens with Pankey's new scholarship. With Evan Smotrycz, Shaquille Cleare, Charles Mitchell, and Damonte Dodd all coming into the program, there's no worries about depth down the road, and at the rate that Maryland's new staff is recruiting there's a good chance his replacement will bring more to the table.

But, when taken in tandem with the departures of Stoglin and Parker, it does hurt Maryland's depth for next year, especially when remembering that Smotrycz (and likely Dodd as well) won't play next year. They'll have more depth than they did last year, but they won't have the depth they could've had, and that'll come back to do damage at some point. Four big men should be just fine, by and large, but I would've quite liked to have Pankey on the roster for at least another year, given there's no scholarship crunch. I'm not sweating about it, but it's not the strength it once was.

As many have pointed out by now, Mark Turgeon has well and fully taken control of the program. Only two players, James Padgett and Pe`Shon Howard, return from the Gary Era, and both of them are decidedly Turgeon-esque players. This is his program now, without a doubt.

Meanwhile, this does open up things for Maryland on the scholarship front. There are now two openings for the 2012-13 season, although I doubt they'll get used this late in the game. When Padgett graduates next year that'll be another, which means they'll be working with at least three 'ships for the 2013 class. And so the "Will we have room for the Harrison Twins?" meme is brutally killed beyond resuscitation. The answer: definitively yes, and then some. (And that doesn't even take into account any other potential transfers, injuries, or pro departures.)

More coming later, but for now: while I'm not disappointed to see Pankey leave, I also liked him (and the great Pankey Leg nickname). Hopefully he'll land somewhere back home in New York and do well.

Profiles In Terpage - A Countdown to the Football Season: Alvin Hill

2012-05-15T18:08:11Z

A recurring series where we will profile every player on Maryland's roster, counting down to kick-off against William & Mary on September 1. Thanks to OBNUG for the idea.

Today we profile a relatively unknown recruit from Georgia.

Alvin Hill, Freshman, Cornerback

Stats:

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 190

Major: Biology

Twitter: None that I could find.

Collegiate Stats: N/A.

High School Stats: 45 tackles (25 assisted), 11 pass breakups, four interceptions (one touchdown), 2.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, four kickoff returns for 116 yards and a touchdown, three punt returns for 134 yards and a touchdown.

Recruiting Ratings: Three stars by Rivals and 24/7 (#118 in Georgia, #110 CB), two stars by Scout and ESPN (#126 in Georgia, #90 CB)

High School: Luella

Hometown: Locust Grove, Ga.

High School Highlights:

How'd He Get to College Park?

The younger brother of Virginia Tech cornerback Detrick Bonner, Alvin Hill was the definition of an under-the-radar prospect. After just starting to pick up some high-major interest, Hill went to a camp at Maryland, where he impressed coaches enough to earn a scholarship offer. The Terps were only the second school to offer the young corner, after FCS program Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Hill accepted the offer after only a few days of thought. He also received interest from Tennessee and Mississippi State, among others, and canceled four scheduled camp trips, including Georgia and Georgia Tech, after accepting the Terps' scholarship.

At Luella, he was the first-ever permanent team captain for the program, and set the school record for interceptions in a season when he picked off six passes as a junior. He runs the 40-yard dash at about 4.42, and excels in man-to-man coverage.

Nickname:

Alvin "Chipmunk" Hill

Career Highlight:

Getting his first FBS scholarship offer and committing almost on the spot.

Career Lowlight:

N/A.

Dream Season:

Hill breaks through in a weak corner unit, getting solid playing time off the bench as a true freshman and putting himself in the discussion for the nickel role next season.

Nightmare Season:

Redshirt.

2012 Prospectus:

Randy Edsall showed a preference for a lot of under-the-radar recruits early on in the 2012 process, and Alvin Hill certainly fits that bill. A lot of Edsall's relative success at Connecticut came from molding those unheard of recruits into solid collegiate players, especially on defense. Just like Keith Bowers last year, Maryland fans should not be surprised if another true freshman comes out of left field this year to have a productive season. This year, that could be Hill.

Hill has good size for a corner, good man-to-man coverage skills, and good instincts for a kid just out of high school. While he doesn't have the long-term potential of some of Maryland's other defensive back prospects, Hill may be the one most ready to come in and play right away - well, besides Isaac Goins, but he has the advantage of two years of JuCo football under his belt.

That's not saying playing time will necessarily happen for Hill right away, though, but you've got to think at least one of the true freshman have to get in there. Dexter McDougle and Jeremiah Johnson essentially have the starting corner spots by default, and behind them there is not a single person who has played in a game with Maryland (unless you count A.J. Hendy, currently listed as a safety). Makinton Dorleant will almost definitely be the nickel back, which realistically leaves two more spots for depth purposes. The favorites are the two who are listed on the depth chart right now - Goins and walk-on transfer Anthony Perry. But if the coaches feel one of the true freshmen would do a better job, they'll burn that redshirt in a heartbeat. And that guy may be Alvin Hill.

Up Next:

Our next player was a local star in high school, and we're not sure what position he will play.

Introducing Maryland's Incoming 2012 Freshmen: Jake Layman

2012-05-15T12:00:45Z

Mark Turgeon's first class was a monster, a six-man behemoth that is arguably Maryland's most promising in the last decade. But if you don't follow recruiting, the six will-be-freshmen aren't much more than names. Over the next several days, we'll be overviewing the class, recruit by recruit, introducing the newest batch of Terrapins to their future fanbase. We've already looked at Bahamian big Shaq Cleare. Now, we turn to the lanky, potential-laden New England wing, Jake Layman. Sadly, I don't know his middle name.

Name: Jake Layman
Height: 6-8
Weight: 195
HS: King Phillip
From: Wrentham, Ma.
AAU: BABC
Position: SF
Rankings: 247: , #14 SF, #61 overall; ESPN: , #17 SF, #67 overall; Rivals: , #17 SF, #70 overall; Scout: , #14 SF, #65 overall; BIAH Consensus: #61 overall
Recruiter: Scott Spinelli
Committed: Sept. 6, 2011
Twitter: @JLayman10

Major Strengths: Layman really looks the part and has superb physical tools, with fantastic size for the 3 (already 6-9 and perhaps still growing), solid athleticism, and good fluidity of motion. While he's not exactly explosive, he's a smooth athlete and looks very comfortable on the court despite being somewhat lanky. He runs the floor like a gazelle and thanks to his size and athleticism can finish at the rim without trouble, with the ability to throw down highlight slams. He's great in transition, and it's probably where he's most comfortable at the moment. He's not overly quick, but his long legs allow him to stay in front of "quicker" perimeter players, so he should be able to stay on the wing just fine. He plays point guard for his high school team, which contributes to an impressive skill level and feel for the game on offense. He's surprisingly smooth attacking off the bounce and cutting to the rim, and while he's a streaky shooter he showcases some good range and potential as a sharpshooter with some refinement. The foundation of an well-rounded offensive game is definitely there. His big draw to me, though, has always been on defense, where his length and good instincts can wreak havoc. He ballhawks passing lanes when he's off the ball and pressures the ballhandler when he's on it, and most guards and wings aren't going to be able to see over him. Mark Turgeon doesn't seem to be a big presser, but if he ever does Layman is tailor-made to play the point of the press. He's also extremely versatile, as with some added strength he could probably play anywhere on the floor if the matchups dictate it. The most tantalizing part of his game, though, is his ability to cause matchup problems: if he can add strength but retain his fluidity, he'll be too big and strong for most wings but too athletic and skilled for most bigs. And with other talent on the roster, coaches will have a real conundrum with how to approach him.
Needs Improvement: He's probably the most raw of Maryland's recruits, save for Damonte Dodd, and along with Seth Allen is facing the biggest leap from high school to college ball. His high school competition was essentially non-existent, and he has only a single summer of elite AAU play under his belt, coming off the bench at that. He'll almost certainly need time to adjust to the pace and intensity of the college game, but Maryland's roster can't afford him too much of that. Similarly, he drifted a bit for BABC and needs to stay focused at all times, and probably develop a bit of a killer instinct - look for his own shot some more, and be more confident about playing through contact. That will likely come with experience and playing time, so it's not a real long-term worry for me. His first concern in College Park should probably be getting in a strength program. He's not too thin, but his frame can definitely support more weight, which should increase his confidence, make him an even better finisher at the rim, and allow him to back down smaller wings. I'm also intrigued to see how his lateral quickness holds up at this level. It was my one real concern defensively after watching him a few times; he was usually able to stay in front of his man, but if Maryland is going to play him as an out-and-out wing that'll be tougher to do at the high-major level. His shot from deep is pretty streaky, as well, so he'll need to work on that before he's a real option as a sharpshooter, and he should continue to work at expanding his offensive arsenal - but at this point I'm getting a little nitpicky.
Interesting Storyline: I'm not sure if this qualifies as an interesting storyline - actually, y'know what, no, it doesn't, but I'm saying it anyway. My dream situation for Maryland by 2013-14 is a swingman combo of Layman and Nick Faust - both long, athletic, matchup problems on offense and intense, potentially shutdown-type defenders. Gaaaaah.
Comparison: The two that everyone loves are Chandler Parsons and Gordon Hayward (and yes, I know, that's racist). Parsons is the better of the two; Layman is probably a bit more athletic, Parsons a bit better of a shooter, but their size, fluidity, and skill level are good matches. A sneaky one, and admittedly one I didn't think of at first, might be someone like Tyler Honeycutt, formerly at UCLA, who had Layman's physical tools but struggled with the speed of the game and asserting himself - challenges Layman may face as well. It took Honeycutt a few years to get going, but left for the league after his junior year and was an early second-round pick.
Prediction: Maryland's staff supposedly likes him a hell of a lot - they did, after all, in effect turn away the more highly-regarded Jerami Grant for him. That means he'll be a priority for them, and while they won't rush him it's obvious they see something there. Starting might be a bridge too far, with a perhaps more likely situation being Sam Cassell Jr. playing alongside Pe`Shon Howard and Nick Faust on the perimeter. But Faust is the only real wing on the roster, which means Layman will get significant minutes - there's not much of an option. Out of everyone coming in this year, I'd probably say Layman has the most potential of any of them (save perhaps Dodd, mostly because we still don't know much about him). This will sound a lot like what I said about Shaq Cleare, but it holds true: he should get minutes this year, be a frontrunner for a starting spot next year once he finds his legs at this level, and has potential to be a real impact player after that.
In a Turtleshell: Layman has fantastic physical tools and has a bright future as a matchup nightmare and pesky defender. His biggest shortcomings are very easily remedied - some time in the weight room will add upper-body strength, and time on the court against top-level competition should get him up to speed fairly quickly. Even if those two aspects don't come around, he could very easily be an impact player defensively. And if they do, there's almost no telling how high he can go as an all-around option.

Meh: Maryland Travels to Northwestern for ACC-B1G Challenge

2012-05-14T20:08:01Z

As a staunch B1G advocate, I should probably be celebrating a B1G road trip simply for the sake of not making me look like a fool later when I talk about how awesome those great Midwestern metropoli are, but just I can't quite get excited about Maryland's draw in the 2012 ACC-Big Ten Challenge. You could certainly do worse than a trip to Chicago, even if it's late-freaking-November, and you could do worse on the court, as well. A Penn State grudge match, a trip to Nebraska, and at Minnesota would all be less appealing on both counts, especially when recalling that it's late-freaking-November. So I'm not complaining, per se. It's just not moving the needle for me, not when Michigan State and Michigan and OSU and Wisconsin and Purdue were all options. (C'mon, we'll be better than Clemson and Virginia, give us an appealing matchup.)

Although, y'know, Northwestern fans are scoffing at us, too. So maybe this is a better match than I'd like to admit.

The Wildcats have turned into a decent program, even if they've still never made an NCAA Tournament, which is starting to feel like some long extended prank on that fanbase. They were a bubble team last year and only lose a couple of players; unfortunately, one of those is John Shurna, who defined that team for the past few seasons. The addition of Louisville transfer Jared Swopshire will help things, as will the return of their entire backcourt, with Drew Crawford, Reggie Hearn, and Dave Sobolewski all back. It's tough to imagine them getting better after the departure of Shurna, but it's plausible that they could be a bubbler once again.

Which is probably where Maryland will be, too. Which actually worries me a bit. Northwestern isn't a name opponent, and it's a winnable game, but they're not a cakewalk. A young Maryland team, with several freshmen still getting acclimated to high-major college basketball, on the road early in the season against a half-decent team ... it might actually be a tall order. And a loss never looks good. All things told, though, it'll probably be the best early-season indicator of what'll be in store for '12-'13.

By my count, this is the third out-of-conference game we know of, joining the season-opener against Kentucky at the Barclays Center and the return trip to Notre Dame. Whoever plays in the BB&T Classic will make four, which, you might recall, is exactly what Mark Turgeon said was his target number. Sadly, none of these four will be playing in the Comcast Center, something that's long been a complaint of the fanbase (especially when whoever plays in Verizon for the BB&T gets a return game). Sometimes the B1G Challenge can mitigate that like it did last year with Illinois, but it might not be a bad idea to get a home-and-home with another decently big name for years when the Challenge takes Maryland on the road, even if that means a fifth big game.

So, who's up for a snowy road trip?

Introducing Maryland's Incoming 2012 Freshmen: Shaquille Cleare

2012-05-14T12:00:19Z

Mark Turgeon's first class was a monster, a six-man behemoth that is arguably Maryland's most promising in the last decade. But if you don't follow recruiting, the six will-be-freshmen aren't much more than names. Over the next six days, we'll be overviewing the class, recruit by recruit, introducing the newest batch of Terrapins to their future fanbase. We start with Maryland's most highly-regarded in years, the big Bahamian Shaq Cleare. And yes, his middle-name really is O'Neal.

Name: Shaquille O'Neal Cleare
Height: 6-8
Weight: 278
HS: The Village School (Richmond, Tx.)
From: Nassau, The Bahamas
AAU: Houston Defenders, an Under Armour-sponsored team also featuring superstar recruits Andrew and Aaron Harrison
Position: C
Committed: Aug 24, 2011
Rankings: 247: , #9 PF, #36 overall; ESPN: , #8 C, #30 overall; Rivals: , #13 C, #53 overall; Scout: , #11 C, #37 overally; BIAH Consensus: #35 overall

Strengths: Cleare's biggest and most obvious strength is his size and strength, without a doubt. Though 6-8 isn't great at center, his 280-pound frame is simply overpowering, and few will be able to spar with him in the post. He has very good physical tools all around, actually: he carries his weight well, has very soft hands, has light and nimble feet, and, most of all, has a nice touch around the rim. While not a high-flyer by any stretch, he's not deficient athletically, as his monstrous jam on Nerlens Noel should show. But his biggest asset is, again, his size and strength: he's a textbook space-eater, and that largely defines his game in almost every facet right now. He's fairly straightforward offensively, but can use his body to gain position on the blocks for dunks and easy putbacks. Defensively, he's able to push smaller players out of the post and into bad position, something Maryland could've used last year when their front court was being eaten alive by Duke and Carolina. His most college-ready trait, though, is probably rebounding. He's productive area rebounder, smart about positioning and tough to move once he establishes himself; throw in those soft hands, and he has double-digit rebound potential. His size and willingness to do dirty work down low also makes his teammates better, likely allowing potential front-court partners Alex Len and Evan Smotrycz to indulge their face-up tendencies. Lastly, he's a quiet, humble kid, and a hard worker who is purportedly very coachable.
Weaknesses: Like most big high-schoolers, Cleare could stand to work on his conditioning. A bit reminiscent of a young Jordan Williams, it's tough to imagine Cleare, as he currently stands, averaging 25 minutes a game at the ACC level. Dragging that 280 up and down the floor isn't an easy task, and he can tire quickly. His game is built around size and strength, so you want him to retain that; but he'd do well to get more defined, lose a bit of fat, and build up his stamina, the same way Williams did. He probably needs to refine his offensive game, as well. He's pretty straightforward at this point on the block, and is a bit of a garbageman when it comes to getting points. That's actually good, but with that size and touch he can be a go-to option in the post if he develops his skill on the blocks. Girth is an equalizer for bigs, but with his lack of elite height or athleticism he'll need to have top-notch technique to reach his full potential.
Interesting Storyline: Cleare has a great story, as told by the Washington Post, as a kid from the Bahamas who came over to play basketball in high school and very nearly gave it up while living in difficult circumstances. But my favorite part of that story will always be that he said he cried when Gary Williams retired. (Me too, big man. Me too.) Bonus: he already wants to beat Duke!
Comparison: There's been a bit of a wide-body revival in recent years in the college game, with guys like Jared Sullinger, Jordan Williams, and to a lesser extent Reggie Johnson and Joshua Smith all finding varying levels of success. Perhaps it's due to my Maryland fandom, but I can't help but see a lot of Williams in Cleare. Their games are very similar, right down to the preference for a drop-step and their sneakily nice touch around the rim, but the good news is that Cleare has probably about an inch plus a good twenty pounds or so on Williams at the same point. If Maryland's lucky and Shaq puts in the work, Cleare should be able to do everything J-Will did, and, thanks to a superior body, perhaps be a bit more effective at it to boot.
Prediction: I can't see him starting right out of the gate, both because Alex Len and James Padgett seem well-entrenched and because I'm not sure he can handle the minutes right now. (Remember how Len, who is rail-thin in comparison, got tired after 20 minutes at the ACC level. That effect has to be at least doubled for Cleare.) But his body is ready to contribute right now, more so than any other of Maryland's incoming freshmen. He should challenge Ashton Pankey to be the first big man off the bench, and given his ability to counter guys like Mason Plumlee and Richard Howell, he'll almost certainly be used situationally on defense. Past that, though, you have to think he's in the pole position for a starting spot as a sophomore, and I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be an all-ACC type by his junior year.
In a Turtleshell: Cleare is a rare prospect, a throw-back center with great size and significant potential. He'll happily man the middle, do dirty work, and overpower more slender opponents, which will give Maryland freedom to play a face-up four. But he has the potential to put up big numbers in his own right, and could be a double-double type with the right coaching and progression. His conditioning and ability to refine his offensive game will likely determine just how high he goes in College Park. Worst-case, he ends up as a space-eating role player, a rich man's Braxton Dupree; but if progresses as you'd expect, he's a potential impact player at this level and possible future pro.